Waves 3 card issue

[Red]

Hey everybody,

I have been attempting for about 2 weeks to get a soundgrid network up and running. I have a dlive c3500, a waves server, a Waves 3 card, and a cdm64 mix rack. Ive followed the manuals step by step, attempted multiple configurations, etc. The network reads my computer and the server with no problem. My dlive reads the mix rack no problem. No matter what I do, I can never “see” The Waves 3 card and configure it. The representative from waves I talked to remoted in and after looking around, even he was stumped. It’s also probably worth mentioning that I have, what I believe to be, all of the drivers and up-to-date firmware.

What are the odds that I have a bad card?

[Art]

It’s always possible your card is bad, but not likely.

Are you running on a PC or a Mac? Which OS on that computer?

Where do you have the card plugged in? The CDM64 or the C3500?

[Red]

I’ve tried it in the console, and in the mix rack. I have tried both Mac and windows. I have done Sierra and High Sierra on Mac and Windows 10.

[Art]

How have your run network cables? I recommend that everything go into 1 switch. Do not use the switch built into the Waves card.

What type of cables are you using? I recommend Cat6 or better.

[Red]

I have used a waves certified switch, it came with the server, and I have also tried going without the switch. Everything I’m using is Cat5e or better. Mostly Cat6

[Jay]

Red,

Backing up to some basics:

– With the Waves3 card installed, does it show up?
* Mixrack [button] -> Audio -> IO Ports -> Select Slot
* Surface [button] -> Audio -> IO Ports -> Select Slot
* You should see the indication of Waves 3 and the Waves logo

– What version Mac? USB-C (Newer) or Older? Newer USB has/had issues with AVB support causing Dante to not work when using USB-C/Ethernet, so I don’t know if this carries over to Soundgrid.

– Connect direct to Mac (since I know the Mac side). If you use Thunderbolt 2/Ethernet, you don’t need a crossover cable. If you use USB/Startech (and some others), you need a crossover.

– Are the connection lights on for the Waves 3 card and flashing?

– On you Mac, you have both the “Allen Heath Driver 9” and “Soundgrid Studio” installed? In the “Choose Product” you have to select the option to show all products.

Jay

[Red]

Yes the card shows up on the console.

As far as computers, I’ve used a new Mac book with a USB C adapter, a Mac pro, and a custom PC running Windows 10. All ended in the same result.

Ive connected directly to the card with the same result. I’m actually not quite sure on the type of Cat6 I’ve been using, but I guess that’s irrelevant because I’ve used a Mac Pro and a PC as well.

The lights do flash on the card everytime, rapidly. Everything looks normal there.

I’ve installed both the driver and SoundGrid Studio to each computer I’ve used.

[Jay]

Red,

Let’s work with the Macbook Pro, Thunderbolt 2/Ethernet, and pick a cable. The fact that you have activity lights says the cable is probably fine.

– On the Mac, spotlight search for Terminal and run it
– enter the command “ifconfig” (no quotes) and hit enter

You are looking for an entry like the one below. enX will probably be something else:
en6: flags=8863<UP,BROADCAST,SMART,RUNNING,SIMPLEX,MULTICAST> mtu 1500
options=10b<RXCSUM,TXCSUM,VLAN_HWTAGGING,AV>
ether 68:5b:35:b5:48:a2
inet6 fe80::6a5b:35ff:feb5:48a2%en6 prefixlen 64 scopeid 0xd
inet 169.254.190.135 netmask 0xffff0000 broadcast 169.254.255.255
nd6 options=1<PERFORMNUD>
media: autoselect (1000baseT <full-duplex>)
status: active

It will be a 169.254 address and some parameters may be different, based on adapter, but this shows mine active. It will take it 30-45 seconds after connected to get an address. Take note of the enX.

– Launch Soundgrid Studio, select “System Inventory” on the left and “Setup” on the top.
– For Network Port, select the port determined above
– In “Rack A” “1 – Add Device”, select the drop down and see if you have a “Network Devices” option. If so, the card should be listed and select it.

If you don’t see it, check to see if the card is even online.
From the Terminal with Soundgrid Studio running AND the correct interface selected:

sudo tcpdump -i enX -X -s 1500 | grep WAVES3
(where enX is the port from above).
Enter your login password when it prompts and every few seconds you should see a block of lines with ‘M-DL-WAVES3’ scrolling by.
Press <control>+C to get out of it.

Based on what you learn here, next steps.

Jay

[Art]

– On you Mac, you have both the “Allen Heath Driver 9” and “Soundgrid Studio” installed? In the “Choose Product” you have to select the option to show all products.

Double-check to make sure the Allen & Heath driver is installed. Great point!

[Anonymous]

I am also having issues with my card and/or tracks live….

dLive sees the card and I can see the Soundgrid logo in the Audio IO port tab.
SG Studio also sees card and laptop DAW.
Card is running same sample rate as tracks live session
However I can’t get any audio to pass from desk to DAW or DAW to desk…
Tracks Live is using Waves Soundgrid as its interface and I/O match I/O from dLive.
Flip in to record send DAW doesnt see tracks.
Flip in to Virtual Soundcheck desk doesnt see pre-recorded tracks.
Any help would be incredible!!!

[Jay]

Stuart,

It sounds like you are missing the patch between the SG Network and the local DAW interface.

1) In SG Studio, Setup, Rack B, Device 1 (most likely), select the drop down and set the number of channels you need;

2) Now, in SG Studio, select “Patch” at the top center. You need to setup a 1:1 patch between the dLive card and DAW interface (record) for the number of channels selected then another 1:1 patch from DAW->dLive (playback) for all the channels.

Make sure you save your your session.

Jay

[Anonymous]

everything is as you described there. Just got off the phone with Waves they took over my computer and they said everything was routed perfectly on the computer side of things…

dLive
Virtual Soundcheck tab was using correct I/O Port slot (Port 4) dLive sees card on Port 4 as denoted in
Audio – I/O Port with Waves Soundgrid logo appearing

routing on Virtual Soundcheck page with Port 4 selected is all 1:1

very interesting

[Jay]

A&H/Moderators – Would you please pull the prior 3 posts (stuartw, my response) to a new thread to continue troubleshooting without changing direction on Red’s issue?

[Red]

Jay,

Thanks for your post. I’m hoping I’ll get A chance to try that today or tomorrow. In the meantime, I spoke with Allen and Heath who once again collaborated with waves and they were stumped and so they’ve ordered me a new card. I’ll let you know if I’m able to get the original card up and running though.

[K08]

So I know this is kinda old but I’m having a similar issue. Any update on this issue? I could not connect with my newer mac book pro using a thunderbolt ethernet adapter but when I used an older imac with a dedicated network port it worked perfectly so I know it’s not the card. Any insight would be great.

[Author]

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